Closing Time
by ProfessionalxDaydreamer
Summary: When the curtain fell, how did it affect our beloved characters? A belated goodbye. Maureen/Joanne, rated T for a word, and the end. Oneshot.


**A/n: I've had this written since...October, probably. I just never posted it, thought it was stupid, and it got lost in a sea of documents. I've decided to post it, though. This is a little fic about...my goodbye, I guess, to RENT. Let's say MoJo had to say their own goodbyes. This is what happened, and it takes place on September 7th, 2008, in the wee hours of the morning. **

**.x.**

_Closing Time_

_.x._

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Soon, it would stink of musk and dust and staleness.

The imaginary smell wafted into the room as soon as the door opened.

Having had a very overactive imagination for most of my life, I tried to imagine what this dressing room would look like in twenty years. All I saw were cobwebs.

"Yuck," I muttered, mostly to myself. "How very welcoming."

Maureen's head whipped around to face me. "What'd you say, babe?" she asked innocently. It was amazing how skilled Maureen was at blocking out things that she didn't want to hear. Or didn't want to bother with answering, in this case.

She knew that I would say, "Nothing," and retreat inside my head again, as usual. Maureen could read me like that.

"Nothing," I said, of course, and Maureen, sensing my gloominess at the sight in front of our eyes, came over. "I know it's sad, Pookie. God knows you've had the hardest time getting over our closing. And you'd think it would be Mark, right?" She soothed, pushing my hair out of my face. She placed a kiss on the corner of my mouth.

No one had known how upset I had gotten when it was announced that we would be closing. This was my _life_. How could the people not love us anymore? After all that we had given them! There would never be a story like the one that my group of friends have. How could they move on to other stories that aren't even as great or poignant or...important...as ours?

"I just...I'll miss it." I simply said to Maureen, burying my face in her neck, tears stinging my eyes.

"Me too," Maureen replied, the sadness evident in her voice.

Maureen had a different way of dealing with tragedies like this, and she always tried to act strong for my sake.

One of us needed to.

We had both seen this room so many times-- complained about the small, cramped quarters and the tiny sink and mirror. Now we would be going through the door, down the skinny hallway and...onto our beloved stage.

As we stepped into the darkened theatre with only a lit candle to guide our way, I felt tears begin to leak out of my eyes. Tonight, there would be one last telling of our tale.

Maureen and I sat in two of the seats in the front row.

"At this time tomorrow, the lights will go out. This theater will be empty...Until March when there's a fucking _Guys and Dolls _revival!" I spat bitterly.

Maureen jumped up. "Joanne, stop it!"

My eyes widened. Was she angry?

She paced back and forth in front of our chairs, running her fingers through her hair. "I just...I can't be okay with this anymore!"

It was coming. Her breakdown.

I stood up, taking her in my arms. I looked her in the eyes, though hers were watery. Her lip began trembling, and I traced my thumb over it soothingly, wrapping my arms around her.

"It's okay, Honeybear," I whispered, knowing that it was my turn to be brave. For her.

Maureen whimpered unintelligibly. "Shh," I soothed. "I know, Maureen. I know." She shook her head, taking her hand in mine and squeezing it.

"Do they...Do they not love us anymore?" She whispered, voicing what I hadn't wanted to say earlier.

I was silent for a moment as I thought. "I think they love us. I do. It's just...it's time."

Maureen rolled my eyes. "That's what everyone says! It's bullshit, Jo, and you know it."

I sighed, knowing that she was right. "You have to look on the bright side, Mo. There isn't anything we can do about it, so we have to remember the good times."

She nodded, halfway convinced. I dried some of her tears. "And one day, they'll be ready for us again. And it'll be worth the wait. I promise."

We were silent for a few moments, the sound of Maureen's sniffling reverberating through the theatre.

Her eyes suddenly lit up as she got lost in a memory. "Pookie! Remember your little red outfit in Act 1?" She laughed.

"Yeah," I said vaguely, waiting for her point, though I was glad she didn't seem so upset anymore.

"I always wanted to tear that thing right off of you during 'We're Okay,' but I thought someone might get pissed or something. Those pants made your ass look amazing."

Leave it to Maureen to think of my ass at a time like this.

I sniffed and blinked through my blurry vision, allowing a short laugh to escape my lips.

"And remember that time when I wanted to dress up as a groundhog, to protest the groundbreaking?" She laughed openly now, and it was contagious. I relaxed against her shoulder, thinking about Maureen and her metaphors.

"Remember Angel and those drumsticks? And Mark's camera, of course. Remember when we all got up on the table and sang and danced?" Maureen continued.

"Of course I do. And then you kissed Mark!" I said, a little jealous, but it was getting easier to let it go, with time.

"Oh, Jo, please. Don't even get me started. You know that you're the only one who can satisfy me," Maureen said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yes, honeybear, I know." I replied.

"Remember when Mimi almost died? And we found her in the park and saved her. You were such a hero, Mo. And you tried to carry her up the stairs. I'm so glad we found her. And so was Roger, especially." I smiled.

Maureen nodded. "Hey, remember my mooing?" I grinned and grabbed her hand, kissing it. "It was genius," I said. "I can't even moo like that. You sounded like a real cow, Maureen."

"Pookie, I can teach you."

I looked around and shook my head, chuckling at the thought.

"POOKIE, I can TEACH YOU!" Maureen was adamant, as always, when she wanted something.

I sighed and looked at her, unable to refuse her eyes, which were lit up like Times Square on New Year's. I nodded, deciding to humor her. "Ok, shoot."

Maureen pinched her nose, and I followed her actions. "Ok, now moo with me, Joanne! Let it rip. Don't be afraid!" She began a low moo, and I repeated after her.

"That's it, baby! You're a natural." She stopped mooing.

I giggled and ran my fingertips over the armrests absently. "It was a good idea to come back here, I think. Remember everything, so we don't forget it. Twelve years, baby. We're getting old!" I said.

Maureen frowned. "What do you mean we're old? I don't look old, do I, Jo?"

"No, honeybear. You're still hot."

"Oh, really? How hot?" Maureen challenged.

I looked around. "Well, I would show you how hot, but...we're in a theatre."

Maureen's eyes lit up, and I could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Pookie, let's-"

I knew what was coming next.

"Let's have sex!" she finished.

"Maureen, no, not here. Not in the Nederlander. Isn't that kind of gross? Or totally illegal? Come on." I tried to reason.

"No, now we really have to, Pookie. My mind is made up. What a great way to commemorate the end of an era, eh?" she giggled, pulling me up onto the stage and kissing me on the lips.

"Ah, what the hell?" I said, deciding to take a chance as Maureen quickly took off my shirt.

_No day but today, right?_

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**A/n: So now you really know what happened on that stage. Eh? Eh?**

**I own nothing.**


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